Selig wants talks on ephedra

Commissioner Bud Selig called Friday for new talks with the players' union to ban ephedra, the nutritional supplement that may have contributed to the death of Baltimore pitcher Steve Bechler.

Bechler died Monday, a day after collapsing at spring training with heatstroke.

During labor bargaining last summer, owners talked about banning ephedra, but they did not include a ban in their proposal after the union told management lawyers that it would not agree to it.

"Selig and the clubs have been consistent in advocating the ban of and testing for all illegal drugs as well as over-the-counter dietary and nutritional supplements that pose a health risk to players," the commissioner's office said in a statement Friday.

Players have opposed banning any substances that are legal for others to take. The new drug agreement calls for players to be tested for drugs of abuse, such as cocaine, and for illegal anabolic steroids.

"At some point down the road--I'm not personally familiar with how long it takes--we'll have some scientific reports, which will tell us some things," Union head Donald Fehr said. "We may be able to draw conclusions from that. We may not. We'll just have to wait and see. Obviously, it's something you discuss internally. You take another look at things as circumstances warrant."

Meanwhile, Baltimore pitcher Matt Riley admitted he threw away a bottle of Xenadrine as Bechler was being treated for heatstroke in the training room. The bottle was later retrieved and taken to the medical examiner.

"I told them I threw it away because I was just upset and I wasn't thinking when I tossed it," Riley said. "When I walked in and saw Steve on the table, the last thing I thought was he was going to die. When he died, me throwing the bottle away just complicated everything . . . I didn't think of the consequences at the time, I just hated seeing that bottle there."

TEAM, SITE, FRIDAY'S NEWS

Dodgers at Vero Beach, Fla.

Kevin Brown threw from a mound for the 1st time this spring. He said he felt good after throwing 30 fastballs.

Padres at Peoria, Ariz.

Coser Trevor Hoffman left camp Friday to fly back to San Diego for an MRI on his ailing right shoulder.

Yankees at Tampa

1B Nick Johnson cannot hit because of pain in his left wrist. He saw a specialist Friday, and an MRI Thursday was negative.

Mets at Port St. Lucie, Fla.

David Cone threw 10 minutes of batting practice and John Franco, coming off elbow surgery, threw in the bullpen.

Athletics at Phoenix

38-year-old Ron Gant agreed to a minor-league contract. He spent last season with San Diego and should arrive Monday.

Rangers at Surprise, Ariz.

Juan Gonzalez denied rumors of asking for a trade to the Yankees. "I said I like New York, I never said anything about going."

Reds at Sarasota, Fla.

Manager Bob Boone all but anointed Jimmy Haynes to pitch Opening Day in the 1st game in Great American Ball Park.

Brewers at Phoenix

Right-hander Nick Neugebauer will have arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder and likely will miss the season.